I can’t believe that time has flown by so quickly! I’m now wrapping up the final week of my summer internship at PHRII, which has been an incredibly meaningful and valuable learning experience.
Monday through Wednesday consisted of running more miRNA isolations. So far, miRNA have been proving incredibly finicky to work with, so it’s been very difficult to reproduce our RNA quality and yield results from day to day and between operators.
Wednesday afternoon, all the interns had their final presentations. It was so lovely to hear from everyone and about the progress they’ve made. Even though we’ve all talked about our projects colloquially, I really enjoyed learning about the work each person accomplished in detail.
Thursday, Samhita and I took the day off to visit Sri Rangapatna with her grandma and younger brother, Supash. Our intinerary began at the Srirangapatna Temple, which had a beautiful, ornate exterior.
Our next stop was Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, followed by Gumbaz, the burial place of Tipu Sultan and his family members. It was fascinating to learn more about the history of Tipu Sultan, who ruled Mysore during repeated invasions by the British. The palace grounds were filled with lush greenery, and the interior was decorated with meticulous wall details slightly faded from years of exposure. The pencil-sketched drawings of Tipu Sultan and his sons as well as the relics of clothing and weapons were also quite interesting to browse.
Afterwards, we visited the KRS Dam. Due to increased rainfall, the dam was now open, and the sight and sounds of the water gushing through was deafening.
We then headed to Venugopala Swamy Temple. This was definitely my favorite spot that we visited, as the temple was beautifully preserved. Even though it was very windy, it was so peaceful to walk through the temple and take time to observe the intricate stone details. Samhita and Supash were also so kind to explain the meanings and backstory behind each deity we saw.
Our final destination was Brindavan Gardens. Despite the looming storm clouds and drizzling rain, it was still great to walk through and see the fountains.
Saturday, I gave my final presentation to the PHRII staff, since we had run out of time on Wednesday. I was able to receive a lot of helpful feedback from Dr. Karl and Dr. Kiran, which will definitely help me to improve in future research-oriented presentations!
Sunday, Nikhita, Samhita, and I left for Kabini Tiger Reserve along with Supash and Samhita’s cousin, Deeksha.
During our first safari later that evening, we caught sight of quite a few wildlife, including elephants, spotted deer, gaur, and monkeys. The highlight was seeing a sleeping tiger in the brush! Even though it was camouflaged well, we were able to see its tail briefly wave in the air.
The next day, we woke up bright and early at 5:30 for our morning safari, during which we saw a jaguar sleeping in a tree! Since our safari guide had brought along a pair of binoculars, we were able to get a much clearer view. It was so majestic! Even though we saw fewer animals that we would have if we had gone to the zoo, it was much more rewarding to see the wildlife in their natural habitat.
And just like that, it’s over. I can’t believe that eight weeks have passed by so quickly. I’m so grateful for my time with PHRII, the valuable lessons I’ve learned, and the incredibly dedicated and passionate staff and interns I’ve met this summer. Thank you again to Dr. Purnima and Dr. Karl for facilitating this internship and giving me such valuable feedback throughout this entire process; this project wouldn’t have been possible without all your support! Thank you to Anisa and Kavitha for your endless support and mentorship in the lab, Lakshmi, and Siddhu for your hospitality, and Teju, Mrs. Jay, Dr. Kiran, and Dr. Vijaya for making this experience an incredibly meaningful one!!
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